Recommend A Power Pack.

[Taff]

After 20 yrs our jump leads are going to the great scrapheap in the sky. At first I just thought of getting a replacement set, but the wife has suggested a power pack instead, which would do away with the need for a "donor" car.

I'll be honest, I wouldn't know a good one if it fell on me so before I part with my hard earned, what do you recommend?

I'm expecting a budget of say £50.

 

[Steptoe]

You get what you pay for with these things. Remember it is just another battery at the end of the day.

The cheaper versions have a very short life and might be ok for this winter but next winter you'll be needing another one.

 

[ghiribizzo]

+1. We had good results from the Snap-On supplied ones, but pricey and basically they make sense if they are used regularly and recharged. Those Yellow ones? Walk away.
Buy a good set of jump leads. If it's needed to potentially help 'your' car get started, get it a new battery and/or sort the charging rather than spending $$$ on one of those.

 

[Taff]

We had good results from the Snap-On supplied ones, but pricey and basically they make sense if they are used regularly and recharged. Those Yellow ones? Walk away.

At £200 a pop, you weren't bloody kidding were you!

The old jump leads have been used 3 times in the last 2-3 weeks (twice on the neighbours car and yesterday on mine) so the plan is have something handy for everyones benefit.

... Remember it is just another battery at the end of the day.

Which now makes me think whether we'd be better off just carrying a spare battery and a better set of jump leads.

 

[nick.ct]

A car battery, almost any will do
An Optimate or equivalent
A set of jump leads
A plastic crate to put it all in and to make it easy to carry

An optimate will keep a medium sized car battery topped up OK, especially if its a new battery and a medium sized car battery thats in good nick will be capable of starting just about anything

2p

Sorry, not really a new toy as such

Nick

 

[Taff]

....2p. Sorry, not really a new toy as such

Don't apologise I'm not after a new toy, I just want something that works.

 

[rce]

I have an Halfords one, we have been using it for nearly 5 years now. Has a built in compressor, fluorescent light and two lighter sockets.

We have used it as a power source while camping, I use it with my digital compressor to pump car and bike tyres up. Keep it in shed and charge it using a solar cell so it is always ready to use. Cost about £50 I think.

 

[(RIP) Miff]

I have a Draper starter pack. It has an inbuilt inverter. It's handy for powering small 12v things.

But as a jump start pack?? It's FECKING USELESS. Even on small engines.

Best bet is a DECENT set of jump leads.

I stopped to help a stricken soul the other week, as he'd left his light on his Range rover. Big 2500cc straight six Turbo Diesel will need some serious cranking power.

The jump leads he handed me were like coloured string. I connected them anyway to my Land Rover Defender. All that happened was the leads got warm.
SO.... I took them off and used my PROPER leads (that my mechanic brother gave me). His car started straight away.